Senator Scullion will not contest Federal election

CLP Senator Nigel Scullion (pictured) has announced he will not be re-contesting the upcoming Federal Election.

He is one of two Northern Territory Senators, the other one is Labor’s Malarndirri McCarthy.

Senator Scullion held the position for 17 years and has the key Aboriginal Affairs portfolio.

He is also the president of the Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory.

“My path to public office wasn’t a conventional one,” he said in a media statement today.

“I was just an everyday fisherman and some time buffalo shooter and I raised my three beautiful children Sarah, Daniel and Luke on a fishing boat off the coast of Gove and North East Arnhem Land.

“John Howard famously said the Coalition is a very broad church and the fact that it has allowed a bloke like me to sit around its Cabinet table shows just why it continues to be the party hardworking Australian families keep putting their trust and faith in.

“And it has been my privilege to have served as the Minister for Indigenous Affairs over the last five years. I am grateful that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have welcomed me in every corner of this continent that I have visited, and worked with me in providing local and national solutions.

“I thank the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for asking me to continue to serve as Minister for Indigenous Affairs until the results of the election are known.

“Tomorrow, I will wake and continue to do all I can to serve Territorians and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“There is always much to do and I know that our team led by Scott Morrison and Michael McCormack is the only team that delivers for our nation.”

As Minister for the key portfolio of Aboriginal Affairs, Nigel Scullion presided over the Community Development Program ignoring calls from Aboriginal people and all quarters that it is causing more hardship and harm than good with its punitive measures.
Senator Scullion, a dud minister in that portfolio, claimed it was working.
Some voting choices in Parliament were on the dubious side as well considering responsibility for such a portfolio. Good to see you leave, Senator Scullion.

Identity politics. It has to end. Politicians need to be representing the people. The Territory.
So far I have seen none of this from those putting up their hands.
They are only talking at election time. Voters are confused on their rights. As a voter we have the right to demand elected members who will work for a better Territory. Not a better Darwin over the rest of the Territory.
Our Federal ministers have the role to work for the entire country. As minsters elected by states and territories into a Federal seat they should be ensuring the best of Federal funding for their electorate. They are elected to represent Australians. Yet they are managed by government departments.
The departments have signed agreements to allow overseas businesses to avoid taxes. The departments who have allowed foreign governments to own Australian land. The tax office which negotiated agreements with overseas companies to avoid paying taxes that everyday Australians have to pay.
Check out the person wanting your vote.

The NT enjoys a captain’s pick history in the Senate with Julia Gillard’s symbolic appointment of Nova Peris.
That was a shooting sports star that came and went quickly across the Parliamentary heavens. Substance over symbolism is required no matter who it is, whether or not it is captain’s pick or party decision.

Thank goodness he is going. His next job should be looking after the renal housing, he signed off that was introduced in Alice Springs and the behavioural issues that came with it. Time to clean up his mess.